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Washington Wizards blow out Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics guard Phil Pressey (26) reaches for the ball held by Washington Wizards forward Rasual Butler (8) in the first half of an NBA basketball game on Saturday in Washington. The Wizards beat the Celtics with a final score of 101-88. (Alex Brandon / The Associated Press)

By The Associated Press

Sat., Dec. 27, 2014

WASHINGTON—Earlier this month, the Washington Wizards frittered away a 23-point lead against the Boston Celtics but hung on for a grueling double-overtime win.

There was no repeat Saturday night.

The Wizards ran off 13 consecutive points and took a 15-2 lead in the game’s first four minutes on the way to beating the Celtics 101-88 in NBA action.

Boston, which has lost four in a row, is a much different team from the one that dropped that wild 133-132 decision. The Celtics traded long-time point guard Rajon Rondo to Dallas on Dec. 18, and are struggling to find their way.

“They weren’t going to let us back tonight,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “You could feel it, you could see it.”

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Kris Humphries who played for Stevens last season, led Washington — which has won eight of 10 — with 18 points. Paul Pierce, the former Celtic, had 17.

With Rondo gone, none of Pierce’s teammates who won a championship with him in 2007-08 remain.

“They moved on. They’re in a rebuild phase,” Pierce said. “It’s a new era now.”

These Celtics were led by Jeff Green with 23. Jared Sullinger, who twisted his right ankle late in the game, wasn’t pleased with Boston’s lack of aggression.

“Teams are just coming out and smacking us in the mouth. People feel like we’re sweet, we’re soft. We’ve just got to play tough,” Sullinger said.

By the time the Celtics’ nightmare first quarter ended, they were behind 30-12, outrebounded 16-6 and had committed eight turnovers.

For the second straight game, John Wall scored on a spectacular spinning layup. Such moves are now expected by some teammates.

“Everyone’s waiting for it now. If he doesn’t do it, the fans might not be satisfied,” Humphries said.

The Wizards begin a season-high five-game road trip on Monday in Houston, with stops in Dallas, Oklahoma City, San Antonio and New Orleans.

“It is a test. We get a chance to play against some of the upper-echelon Western Conference teams. It will be a great measuring stick of where we are. We know we’re one of the upper-echelon teams in the East,” Pierce said. “This is an opportunity with the East being wide open for us to get to the finals. It gives us an opportunity to gauge where we are as an elite team in the league.”

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